Summary: On Ziva's birthday, Tony drops by for a surprise visit and to hand her a gift.

Disclaimer: RAWR...I am working towards owning NCIS. It will take me a millennium. I am working towards it nonetheless.

Spoilers: None.

Dedication: This story is for Maike! Happy Birthday, cara mia! I know, I'm later than I promised. :( Forgive me?

For the rest of you, enjoy and please review!

-Soph

His Gift

She didn't hear it at first; thumbing through her book on an early Saturday morning was a much more welcomed distraction. When the doorbell rang for a second time she groaned and sank her head into her pillow. It was too glorious a day to be getting out of bed at – she checked her clock – seven o'clock just to answer the door. She considered ignoring it, but the jarring tone cut into her thoughts and made her deem it necessary to dispel whoever was at her front door with a threat to unleash her recently polished knife. She slipped out of bed and put on her robe, and then padded barefoot into the hallway.

The glare that met his face didn't seem to deter him in the least, and he stood there grinning roguishly as she shot figurative daggers at him through the doorway. "Hey, Zi."

She sighed, rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, and stepped aside to let him in. "What are you doing here, Tony?" She closed the door and turned around to frown at him.

"It's your birthday." He continued to grin at her while producing a stylishly decorated bag with a chocolate cupcake in it from the middle of nowhere. "Happy Birthday."

She accepted the cupcake and tried not to smile too much. "As I recall, you do not usually show up unannounced on my birthdays."

"Well, I like to give you a surprise every now and then. You know, keep ya on your toes."

"I do not think I need to be kept on them," she said with a laugh. She went into the kitchen and he followed, leaning against the kitchen counter as he watched her put the kettle on. She could sense his eyes upon her, taking in her well-worn robe.

"You haven't just gotten out of bed, have you?"

"I was reading in it. Does that count as not having gotten out of it?"

"That's an interesting question. Let's start by debating the-"

"Tony," she said exasperatedly without looking at him, as she reached for a box of tea bags.

"You know it would've made an awesome discussion."

"Yes. But…why the sudden visit?" She glanced up at him before returning to the tea.

He shrugged. "Saw the cupcake and remembered that it was your birthday. Thought I'd drop by to give it to you."

She ignored the way her heart skipped a beat, and collected two mugs. "Well, thank you."

He drew out a chair from her dining table and settled easily upon it, smiling at her. "I don't understand why you won't do more than having a dinner with us anyway. You should throw a party. Put on some loud music, bring out the Twister mats, drink yourself silly."

"That does not sound particularly appealing to me."

"Gotta let your hair down sometimes."

"It is currently down," she pointed out, he chuckled.

"Kinda messy…I like it. But still."

"Why do you want me to have a party in the first place?" She sat down opposite him and pushed a mug of tea across the table.

"I actually don't really care. But you should spend some time with your closest friends on your birthday."

"There is my birthday dinner."

"Yeah, but that's for only two hours. Not exactly the optimal bonding duration."

"It is just that I prefer to stay home and read."

"Doesn't it get lonely?"

"Not very much."

"Hmm." He drank his tea and put the mug down onto the table. "I can leave, if you want."

"No." She covered his hand with hers, stopping him. "Since you are already here, stay."

He paused for a moment and then took up her hand, contemplating. "I bought you a gift."

"I thought the cupcake was the gift."

"Well I had something better in mind, but if you don't want it…"

"No." Ziva laughed and scooted closer to the table. "Give it to me."

"Didn't your parents ever teach you manners?"

"Well, they were a little busy throwing plates and other breakable things around the house, but alright. Give it to me please." He hesitated again, and she looked at him quizzically. "Tony?"

"Yeah…" He took something out of a pocket and pressed it into her palm, delicately wrapping her fingers around it. "Here."

She opened her hand. It was a jeweller's box, covered in blue velvet and fitting perfectly in her hand. She ran her thumb over the gold-embossed lid, caressing the soft material before putting it down and opening it.

They were the most gorgeous pair of earrings she'd ever set eyes upon. Silver, embedded with diamonds, and heart-shaped, they simply looked perfect as the sunlight reflected off them, as if bragging about their beauty for the entire world to see.

"Oh, Tony!" she said breathlessly.

"What do you think?" he asked, his low voice sombre.

She met his fearful eyes and beamed. "Could you help me put them on?"

He laughed, and she swore she could see the nervousness roll off him and dissipate into thin air. "I've never actually helped anyone put earrings on, you know."

"There is a first time for everything." She gathered up her 'messy' hair and held it away from her ears with one hand, beckoning with the other. "Come on."

He acquiesced, removing one of the earrings from its box as he stood up and crossed over to her side. Sliding the earring in, he secured it with the earring back.

"Not bad for your first time," Ziva teased when he had slid the second earring in.

His fingers lingered on her skin for moments longer than they should have, warming her pleasantly. "Yeah," he murmured softly before lifting his fingers and going back to sit in his own chair.

She scooped up his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I love them, Tony. Thank you."

Tony smiled faintly at her. "Saw them in a window the other day…didn't know how many earrings you had, but I hadn't seen any like this, so I thought I'd get them for you."

She raised her eyebrows. "You can remember all the earrings I wear?"

"Well, I was mostly just hoping you didn't have any like them."

"I do not. I am not sure I could have afforded them. They must have been very expensive."

"You deserve them." He froze when he realized what he'd said, and Ziva stared at him in shock.

It was probably a leap of faith, or insanity, that made her stand up, lean across the table and kiss him on the lips.

"Would you like to share that cupcake?" she asked gently, and the tension was broken.

He blinked at her. "Um…it's a pretty small cupcake."

"Yes, but I am not going to sit here and let you watch me eat a cupcake."

"You could save it until after I leave."

"I could, but you look hungry. Have you eaten breakfast?"

"Uh, no. I haven't had the time to."

"Serves you right for coming to my apartment at this hour," she snorted, and Tony had the good sense to look ashamed. She shook her head and sat down again, drawing the cupcake towards her. Opening the bag, she tore the cupcake into two halves and handed one to him. "Eat up; I will make you breakfast afterwards."

They ate in companionable silence, during which he gazed at her admiringly and she pretended she was too busy daydreaming to notice.

"Zi?" he finally asked.

She turned her attention back to him. "Yes, Tony?"

"You're beautiful."